Should retailers lower prices on alcohol for your teenager's sake ?

[tombsc]

Originally Posted by joewarne

I dont drink, I dont smoke and I dont do drugs, I don't see the point of it. It can only bring negativity to the person drinking and the people around them. Plus it costs a fortune anyway........

......At the end of the day it is a poison, it harms your insides, controls your life and makes you both mentally and phsyically ill.

Nothing wrong with all of the above in moderation, as long as it's natural - i.e, no chemically produced drugs!

You only live once, make the most of it, enjoy it, and try a few things!

Intoxication is natural. Animals do it, humans do it. Even remote tribal populations that don't know what it means do it.

When I'm old and grey I think I'll quite happily be able to say I experienced a little bit of a lot of things, and will hopefully have no regrets.

[joewarne]

Originally Posted by tombsc

Nothing wrong with all of the above in moderation.

You only live once, make the most of it, enjoy it, and try a few things!

Intoxication is natural. Animals do it, humans do it. Even remote tribal populations that don't know what it means do it.

When I'm old and grey I think I'll quite happily be able to say I experienced a little bit of a lot of things, and will hopefully have no regrets.

The thing is, if you do these things, chances are you wont live to be old and grey.

[tombsc]

Originally Posted by joewarne

The thing is, if you do these things, chances are you wont live to be old and grey.

Do them in moderation and they aren't going to harm you. Studies show that alcohol consumption can slow cancer, cannabis gets your neurones firing and the brain working, nicotine gets your body in a heightened state of alertness.
Nothing wrong with any of that, and it's all natural...

20 fags, 2 pints and a joint a day however, probably isn't the best idea!

[TheDoctor]

Alcohol is a demon.

[joewarne]

Originally Posted by tombsc

Do them in moderation and they aren't going to harm you. Studies show that alcohol consumption can slow cancer, cannabis gets your neurones firing and the brain working, nicotine gets your body in a heightened state of alertness.
Nothing wrong with any of that, and it's all natural...

20 fags, 2 pints and a joint a day however, probably isn't the best idea!

The point is people aren't naturally going to do these things in moderation, they are addictive. They have the properties in them to make a person dependant on them, and that is not good. I'd like to have a link to some of these studies you are citing.

If you can't survive and feel good as a human being without those things, i think there is something wrong with you.

Plus your making out that they only have positive effects which is clearly not true. There are far more certain negative effects directly caused by this rather than sketchy positives.

[williamblah]

I don't drink to make myself more sociable, but it lowers inhibitions and increases confidence. When it terms of meeting people and socialising these are good things! There are some things that are simply fantastic when drunk. Traffic cones for example.

[tombsc]

Just re read my post and want to clarify - I am NOT advocating the use of any drug (including nicotine and alcohol).

My only bad habit is smoking.

I've never taken any 'produced drug' (class A) and don't even take caffeine these days!

[joewarne]

Originally Posted by williamblah

I don't drink to make myself more sociable, but it lowers inhibitions and increases confidence. When it terms of meeting people and socialising these are good things! There are some things that are simply fantastic when drunk. Traffic cones for example.

But if you keep relying on alcohol, that is effectively dependency and later on addiction. It also says your not happy with the person you are and feel you need to change to be around others - not good imo.

[williamblah]

I don't drink to change myself around others, I drink because I enjoy drinking. There are huge numbers of the population who drink in moderation and never become dependent or addicted.

[joewarne]

Originally Posted by williamblah

I don't drink to change myself around others, I drink because I enjoy drinking. There are huge numbers of the population who drink in moderation and never become dependent or addicted.

I can't grasp that concept, what is it you like, the taste?

Plus we have the biggest binge drinking society in the world and people want to lower the price of alcohol. It leaves young people with no choice but to throw their life down the bottle and settle for a life of mediocraty.

[williamblah]

I can get drunk once in a while but don't have to live a life of mediocraty because of it!

(This is stolen from Louis Theroux Weird Weekends) If you had never eaten chocolate, all the books and descriptions in the world couldn't tell you how it felt.

And also, I do very much enjoy the taste, but there is something more than that. I think the something more is about sitting down in a cafe with a coffee. You don't go to a cafe for a coffee just for the taste of coffee. In the same way, I don't sit at home and drink beer.

[kevan321]

Originally Posted by mattp1980

I think making it illegal may be a bit extreme, but I certainly think the minimum age should be raised to 21 (like America) or even 25.

Obviously, this is only my opinion, but everytime I go out, all I see are kids (16-20) who can't handle their drink but still sink 10-15 pints in 1 night and then go around starting fights and causing trouble. I appreciate that not all people in that age bracket are like that, but in my experience, the bad ones outweigh the good ones.

Also, to all the students... Less drinking and more studying!!!!

That my 2 cents.

If you raised the age, people from 15ish would still drink, it would just be illegal til they were 18.

People don't turn 15 and think, oh 3 years til it's legal so I should start now. It's just that age where people are changing and trying new things and growing up. I feel that underage drinking is a fairly big part of that. Also, at that age most people are drinking at parties, it's much safer for someone to drink too much (which is inevitable at some point) where their friends can look after them at a younger age, than in some random club when they're older where there's very few people they know.

I know quite a lot of people who didn't drink around that age, got to 17-18ish and then discovered how much they enjoyed it. This meant that they had more money to spend, could get out more (and into pubs, clubs etc) and it was during much more important years of their school life.

Every single teenager is gonna go off the rails a wee bit at some point in their life, I feel it's better to get rid of some of that around that age, where it wont affect your life so much. Then when you reach the more important times you'll be a more responsible drinker.

I don't think they should raise the price of all alcohol, but I think cider is way too cheap all the time. It get's you trashed, and is only ~£3 for a 3 litre bottle.

Other than that, I think they just need to crackdown on people drinking in the streets no matter the age. Not change the price

Originally Posted by joewarne

I can't grasp that concept, what is it you like, the taste?

Plus we have the biggest binge drinking society in the world and people want to lower the price of alcohol. It leaves young people with no choice but to throw their life down the bottle and settle for a life of mediocraty.

How's that?

No choice? They have the choice of not drinking to extremes.

Are you saying that everyone who drinks before it's legal (which varies from country to country) is living a life of mediocrity?

[SwedishTom]

Originally Posted by joewarne

*snip*

Plus we have the biggest binge drinking society in the world and people want to lower the price of alcohol. It leaves young people with no choice but to throw their life down the bottle and settle for a life of mediocraty.

Actually I have to disagree with you there Joe, everyone has a choice, there is noone that is twisting your arm to buy alcohol apart from yourself. What it comes down to is if you would have enough discipline not to buy alcohol, no matter how cheap it is.

I myself enjoy a drink from time to time, but I can also go for weeks without one, I have plenty of alcohol at home all the time but that don't mean I am drinking everyday, or that I am binge drinking, which is in my eyes just a waste of money anyway.

Cheers
Tom

[barcelonic]

Originally Posted by jeronimo917

As you probably might have noticed, British retailers are starting their ridiculous low alcohol prices for the christmas period. No other country in Europe (not even new European countries like Lithuania or Poland) allow this !

Let's put this into perspective fgs - we have by far the highest tax on alcohol than any of the aforementioned countries or indeed anywhere in Europe!

So yes they should reduce prices over Christmas, and in fact should reduce prices as much as possible all year round.

Im sick of people buying into this whole behaviour-by-control policy of our government. If people are doing something they shouldnt be doing they try to make it impossible for us to do it. The same applies to crime - tougher policing has been tried for decades and has it ever worked? Short answer: no!

Taxing the s**t out of things is a terrible half-baked idea which failes to consider the root of the issues - it is the political equivalent of a child sweeping everything under their bed when they're asked to tidy their room.

The people who initiate these policies could not give two hoots whether or not they are even implemented - as long as they have shown the public that action has been taken their job is done. It's all about the apperance of progress for political sakes, rather than progress itself.

I beg you all to open your eyes to this because regardless of race or nationality every one of us is exactly the same - it makes no sense whatsoever to suggest that Britons are somehow predisposed to drink excessively. So, of course, there is a reason (key word = REASON). There is a reason for everything - and until our government starts looking at sociological studies and shaping policy around their findings I'm afraid to concede that excessive drinking, along with crime and a high teenage pregnancy rate, will remain and possibly worsen. No amount of political gesture will change that!

[chigley]

Originally Posted by TheDoctor

Drinking Doesnt interest me but i think alcohol should be made illegal.

Did you put any thought behind that post whatsoever!?
Some reading for you - Prohibition in the United States - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Pay particular attention to the Society section.

[the_icks]

Personally I am more concerned about the teenage consumption of excessive quantities of very high concentration stimulant drinks!!!

It horrifies (not an exageration) when I see kids hardly old enough to cross the road by themselves drinking a can of relentless almost as big as they are!! What are their hearts like??

[williamblah]

You have to admit though, the green Relentless is well nice.

[LiamGTR]

What's all this about "non-alcohol" fanny talk?

Isn't this a topic about lowering the price of ALCOHOL?

[mcgrou]

Originally Posted by LiamGTR

What's all this about "non-alcohol" fanny talk?

Isn't this a topic about lowering the price of ALCOHOL?

People were talking about the reasons behind drinking alcohol in the first place and references were made to non-alcoholic alternatives being just as good in regards to taste. I'm pretty sure reading through the topic would have told you that, rather than skimming over it, noticing the words "non-alcoholic" and posting a dismissive comment to make yourself feel butch.

@ conversation about drinking and stuff
I've got hammered at parties simply down to peer pressure, everyone around me is drinking and I do too. It's not necessary, I don't think it gives me any added self-confidence, although it definitely removes some inhibitions... also makes for some interesting stories that wouldn't have occurred had we all been drinking Diet Coke

@OP
Cheap booze w00t.

[bmh16]

Originally Posted by Simmo

16 cans of strongbow at tesco for £8 ftw.

Strongbow is revolting!

Why not i say? Its up to the supermarkets. Its a loss leader for them and it works and i say why not do it!

Originally Posted by joewarne

I dont drink, I dont smoke and I dont do drugs, I don't see the point of it. It can only bring negativity to the person drinking and the people around them. Plus it costs a fortune anyway.

The prices should go up in my opinion, its a very legitimate tax to stop people poisoning their bodies. The government should really pick up on this. Its exactly the same as smoking, and every alcoholic bottle should carry the same warning strips as cigarette packets do. I don't know how smokers continue on after reading those messages day after day, it must really get them down while destroying their lungs and increasing their chances of serious disease day after day.

At the end of the day it is a poison, it harms your insides, controls your life and makes you both mentally and phsyically ill. Its just the media make it more likeable to keep on the good sides of big business.

If you like the taste of beer, there are non alcoholic alternatives avaliable.

A lot of people need to learn to grow a backbone and not give in to peer pressure at the slight thought of it. As thats how i rekon 90% of people get into drinking, with their "friends".

I used to be like this lol. Drinking in moderation is great. You can have a good laugh with your mates and just have a good time. It doesn't make necessarily make people aggressive at all. I never get aggressive with it, nor do my mates. It annoys me when people think they're almost better than you if they don't drink and also that drinking automatically makes you aggressive, cos it doesnt. What's wrong with it in moderation? Nothing at all.